crumb dumpster

This post on Pete Wentz's blog pretty much sums up my life for the last week. I quit my job last Sunday¹, and since then I cannot be persuaded to leave the house with a cattleprod. What's that, we need groceries? Call Pink Dot. Son needs a ride home from the mall? Take the bus. Friends are going to the movies? I'll wait for the DVD.

Since I have you here, allow me to recommend some things I read/looked at this morning:

A Trinket, A Trifle by thistlerose. [Hunger Games; Effie Trinket, Mrs. Everdeen, gen]

This is very well done. It nicely explores one of my pet theories about Effie -- that over the years, she eventually began to realize that the Games were wrong on some level, maybe because losing her tributes every year started to wear her down, but she chose not to examine it too closely, because it was easier that way, because she was from the Capitol and so much of her daily life was tied up in the Games.

This also manages to make Mrs. Everdeen slightly sympathetic, something I'd never thought I'd say in a million years.

Denude by faithwood. [Harry Potter; Harry/Draco, adult]

Everything about this is delightful -- the atmosphere, the imagery, the different things and ideas that turn Harry on, the whole idea that their mutual obsession is a naked, obvious thing reaching an inevitable conclusion.

Also, smoking hot.

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And now for some art -- all Harry Potter, and all distressingly work safe.

Concealed by achen089. [Sirius]

This House is Not a Home by viria13 [Sirius]

Lupin by ullakko. [Remus]

The Marauders by jackpot-84 [Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs]

Spinner's End by ullakko. [Snape, Bellatrix, Narcissa]

I also found this gorgeous piece of Harry/Draco art on the fuckyeah-harrypotterfanart Tumblr, but I can't figure out who drew it because of reblog drift. Alas. [ETA:] faithwood to the rescue! It's an older piece by reallycorking -- which, yeah. I should've know, based on how pretty it is.

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So, my hp_beholder fic hates me like I murdered its mother in cold blood.

( cut at the dotted line )

Speaking of the Hunger Games, where is all the Haymitch/Effie fic? Seriously. I'd read the hell out of that.

I was telling themostepotente on the phone last night that I'd also read the hell out of some Robert Baratheon/Ned Stark, set right after Robert wins the Iron Throne, and Robert is all loud and enthusiastic about it, and Ned really is kind of into it, but admitting that wouldn't be honorable, or whatever, so on the inside he's like oh fuck, yes Robert, harder, but on the outside he's all *sigh* whatever pleases you, My Grace.


¹ It's a ridiculous, super tl;dr story. Suffice to say I did everyone involved a favor, including myself.

Day 6

Rec at least three fanworks you thought you wouldn't like but did.

Exorcism by cluegirl [Harry Potter; Harry/Ron, adult]

I wasn't into Harry/Ron for a long time, mainly because the little bit I'd read was overly fluffy, and extreme fluff doesn't agree with my digestion.

Anyway, this fic. I started reading it accidentally. No, really. It was a thousand years ago, so I don't know exactly how it happened -- either it was mistagged on a newsletter/recs post, or I just can't read. However it went down, I didn't realize it was Harry/Ron until I was already five or six paragraphs in, and by that point, I was already sold.

I'm so glad I kept reading it, because it's flawless.

Nightblooming Heartsease by julad [Harry Potter; Neville/Snape, adult]

So, yeah. Snape/Neville is one of those pairings that just doesn't do it for me. Most of the time, anyway. With that in mind, I had no intention of reading this, even though I'd heard really wonderful things about it.

I eventually caved, though, because it's a prequel to Transfigurations, and my love for that fic cannot be textually rendered. I'm really glad I did cave, because it's brilliant.

A God Amongst Men by floweringjudas [Harry Potter; James/Remus, adult]

I saw this recced in a few places when it was first posted, and I was pretty excited about it, because James/Remus is always in short supply. However, a couple people told me flat out that I wouldn't like it, given my usual fic preferences and my unholy love for James Potter. The Marauders are not a happy family here -- a premise I actually like from time to time, provided it's done well -- and the characterization of James is fairly brutal. In short, he's a complete ass.

Eventually, I just couldn't help myself. Like I said, I do occasionally like fics where the Marauders are not really BFFs. This is really, really well done. Particularly the way it includes Lily and Sirius, and the events of the first war.

Truck Driving with the Dead by kennahijja [Harry Potter; Ron, gen]

Second-person POV is usually a deal-breaker for me. I just can't handle it. I'm not sure what the problem is, exactly -- I just don't enjoy it. Maybe my brain doesn't work that way. If I do sit down and read a fic written in second-person, usually what happens is about three paragraphs in I start trying to transpose it into third-person in my head just so I can understand what's going on, and I end up with a headache.

Several people told me I should read it anyway. Turns out, they were totally right. It is beautifully done.

The Way We Live Now by kabeyk [Harry Potter; Draco/Remus/Snape, adult]

My initial issue here was the pairing.

I mean, the idea of Remus/Draco interests me strangely¹, but I'm not all that big on Remus/Snape or Draco/Snape, and I didn't think the mixed bag approach would work out any better for me. However, I've always liked kabeyk's writing, and this fic has werewolf!Draco². Believe me, werewolf!Draco was enough to tip the scales.

And I totally loved it. It's clever and hot and Snape is fantastic.




¹ Don't lie. Now that I've mentioned it, it interests you strangely, too.
² So does this.